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Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (3) Cape Colony, Diamond Hill, Wittebergen (3318 Pte G. Jeffery, 1:R:Sussex Regt.) note surname incorrectly rendered;
KSA (2) (3318 Pte G. Jeffries. Rl: Sussex Regt.).

George Jeffries was born at Agra, India in 1873 and joined the 1st Battalion, Sussex Regiment prior to the Anglo-Boer War. They were in on the action during the Battle of Doornkop during the advance on Johannesburg, before seeing extremely heavy fighting at Diamond Hill after the capture of Pretoria. Positioned on the left of the 21st Brigade, their advance forced the Boer's back and the British were able to bring forward their guns and drive the enemy off.

Remaining with the Sussex Regiment until 1908 Jeffries was discharged from the 2nd Battalion at Belfast on 19 March after 18 years of service. Despite this he was to return to the Colours on the outbreak of the Great War with the 5th (Cinque Ports) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. Embodied with 2/5th on 11 August 1914 he was transferred to the 72nd Provisional Battalion in Britain and remained on Home Service until 24 July 1916 when he was invalided from service.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (4) Cape Colony, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Wittebergen (3081 [sic] Pte. J. Miles, 1: R: Sussex Regt.);
KSA (2) (3080 Pte. J. Miles. Rl: Sussex Regt.);
Army LS&GC EdVII (3080 Pte. J. Miles. Rl. Sussex Regt.)

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (2) Transvaal, South Africa 1902 (8388 Pte. E. Spencer. Rl: Sussex Regt.);
1914 Star, with clasp (7305 Pte. E. J. Spencer. 2/R. Suss: R.);
British War and Victory Medals (L-7305 Pte. E. J. Spencer. R. Suss. R.)

Ernest J Spencer served with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment during the Great War on the Western Front from 27 August 1914, and was discharged on 30 April 1915, being awarded a Silver War Badge.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (4) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Lieut. R. E. Henderson. Rl. Sussex. Rgt.);
1914-15 Star (Lieut. R. E. Henderson. 1-Lovat’s Scts.);
BWM and VM (Lieut. R. E. Henderson.)

Robert Eveleyn Henderson, an East Indies Merchant, was born on 19 December 1890. He was commissioned into the Royal Sussex Regiment and served in South Africa with the 3rd Battalion during the Boer War.

He served with 1st Battalion Lovat Scouts during the Great War in the Balkans theatre from 6 September 1915, before later service with the Guards Machine Gun Regiment and appears to have been awarded a Silver War Badge. His medals were sent to him at Sedgwick Park, Horsham, Sussex, and his Medal Index Card notes a further address at Moonhill Place, Cuckfield, Sussex.

He died, aged 44, on 6 November 1925, leaving an estate valued at £98,147 and is commemorated by an elaborate wall plaque inside St. Martin’s Church, Nuthurst, Sussex.

Thanks David
Having read recently in your postings about several veterans living long lives, this one was certainly cut short
The Hendersons history and their attachment and extensive work to Sedgwick Park has been well recorded and featured in Country Life when the house was on sale offers over £5 million, which coincidentally is the current value of the estate left in 1923. Another medal collection regrettably no longer in the family.
Thanks again,
Clive

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

IGS 1854 (1) Hazara 1888 (2241 Pte. G. Ades 2d. Bn. R.Suss R.);
QSA (4) Cape Colony, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Wittebergen (2241 Pte. G. Ades, 1st. Rl. Sussex Regt.);
KSA (2) (2241 Pte. G. Ades. Rl: Sussex Regt.) mounted as worn

George Ades was born in Hastings, Sussex, in 1866. A labourer, he attested at Chichester for the Royal Sussex Regiment on 17 March 1886, serving in India from 8 October 1886 to 29 November 1893, and South Africa from 10 February 1900 to 24 August 1902. A veteran of the Hazara campaign and the punitive Black Mountain Expedition of 1888, Ades served with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, against the mountain tribes of Akazais, Hassanzais, and Chargarzais from 3 October 1888 to 14 November 1888. Fuelled by the murder of two officers and five sepoys of the 5th Gurkhas, the British advanced in four columns and defeated the latter at Kotgai and Maidan. As picked marksmen, the British then continued to wreak revenge at Thakot and Pokal, before the tribesmen finally relented and sought peace.

Field Marshal Lord Roberts was later somewhat scathing of what could have been: ‘The expedition was a success from a military point of view, but the determination of the Punjab government to limit the sphere of actions of the troops and to hurry out of the country prevented our reaping any political advantage. We lost a grand opportunity for gaining control of this lawless and troublesome district, no surveys were made, no roads opened out, the tribesmen were not made to feel our power, and, consequently, very soon another costly expedition had to be undertaken.’

Remarkably, Ades re-enlisted for a third term with the Royal Sussex Regiment on 29 October 1914, aged 47 years. His Army Service Record offers limited information regarding this time, but it seems likely that he spent this period training the young lads from his home town of Hastings, and from other Sussex coastal towns such as Brighton, Eastbourne and Chichester, and preparing them for war.